Kingsley NJROTC Receives Official Certification from the Naval Service Training Command

10 minutes ago

2 min read

A HUGE MILESTONE FOR THE STAG BATTALION!

Congratulations to all Stag Battalion cadets and families!

We received an email from Naval Service Training Command offering Kingsley High School NJROTC the opportunity to transition from a Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NNDCC) program to a full Navy Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps (NJROTC) unit!

THIS IS A HUGE VICTORY AND A VERY PRESTIGIOUS HONOR!

I want every cadet and family to understand just how significant this opportunity is. We started this program from the ground up, built our reputation, established ourselves among established programs across the country, and proved that a small school in Northern Michigan can accomplish some pretty incredible things.

This transition represents the Navy's recognition of what we have built and what the Stag Battalion is capable of accomplishing.

Moving to a full NJROTC unit opens the door to greater opportunities, increased Navy support, additional resources, and expanded opportunities for our cadets. It will help us continue growing our teams, competing at higher levels, attending leadership academies, visiting military installations, and providing experiences that most high school students will never have.

But most importantly, it means more opportunities for YOU!

I want to recognize every cadet who has worn the uniform, participated in PT, competed on a team, stood on a football field with the Color Guard, volunteered in our community, attended an event, or represented the Stag Battalion with pride. Every single one of you has contributed to getting us here.

To our families, thank you for supporting your cadets, volunteering, traveling, fundraising, and believing in this program. We could not have accomplished this without you.

Take a moment today to pat yourselves and each other on the back. You have earned it!

However, don't get too comfortable. This is only the beginning. We have accomplished something incredible, but our hard work has only just begun. We have a reputation to maintain, expectations to meet, and an even bigger future to build.

When we started this program, I told you that we were going to build something special. Today, we took another enormous step toward making that vision a reality.

I am incredibly proud of each and every one of you. I couldn't ask for a better group of cadets, families, community, staff, and administration to be part of this journey.

STAG BATTALION – HONOR, COURAGE, COMMITMENT!

Semper Fi!

--Gunnery Sergeant Mathew Barr, NJROTC Instructor